Some worrying news on the oil spill

The worrying news is that according to the MCOT online paper, PTTGC uses more chemicals than permitted to remove oil slick.

Thailand's Pollution Control Department head says that PTT Global Chemical (PTTGC) has used an amount of chemical dispersants to decompose the oil slick in the sea greater than the amount permitted by the agency.

Director general Wichien Jungrungruang said the company asked for permission to use 5,000 litres of the dispersant chemicals for the oil decomposition. Nonetheless, PTTGC recently announced that it has so far already used 32,000 litres of chemicals to decompose the oil spill.

5,000 liters for a 50 tonne spill is a ratio of about 10:1 which apparently is the recommended ratio for the chemicals used.

Using 32,000 liters indicates that there's a much larger oil spill to deal with then is published or acknowledged so far. It's a big carpet where this can be swept under!

Toxic matter 'may enter food chain in 3 months' as the 'The Nation' reports and the PCD is to probe heavy metal content in the sea.

Ao Phrao beach on Koh Samed

The same source also claims that the oil slick has caused 100 million THB damage on Koh Samed.

The anti oil rig movement on the Samui archipelago seems to get new power due this oil spill, although I'm afraid that it won't be able to avoid the new and planned oil platforms in front of Koh Samui to be build or taken into service.

Good news is that Richard Barrow, a blogger who writes lots about Thailand, has visited the East side of Koh Samed and his findings show pristine white beaches and no oil on that side of the island.

If you made it this far into my post, be assured that there is no oil on Koh Samui beaches! Up until this moment, the oil spill has been in a very different area then the Koh Samui archipelago!

Aerial shots also have shown that the spill is getting smaller each day, which you would hope for, considering the amount of chemicals used! Now let's hope that it will be safe to eat fish from the Gulf!

Don't forget to use my Camille's Samui hotel recommendation blog and my Camille's Thailand hotel recommendation blog for all your hotel bookings on Koh Samui and around Thailand. By doing so, you will support my blog. Thanks folks!

Camille